Unconditional
by scrutinize
Summary: Sometimes, just loving someone isn't enough. Sakura x Sasuke


**A/N**: I was all set to go to sleep tonight; I had my alarm set and my covers pushed back. I was just ready to climb into bed when the first line of this popped into my head. It would not leave me alone, so I just had to stay up for another 40 minutes to write this shiz. Nothing more to say to that. I usually don't like this pairing; I have no idea why it came into my head. Oh well.

**Pairing**: SakuXSasu. Assume he came back and that everyone in the Naruto world are around 20.

**Warning**: mild language. Otherwise, nothing too heavy.

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Naruto. Unfortunately.

* * *

**Unconditional **

She has just been inaugurated into ANBU, and tonight was the conclusion of her first mission.

She staggers into her apartment and then proceeds to stumble towards the bathroom. The soft pitter patter of her footsteps are no more tonight, rather her steps are unplanned, shockingly jarring against the silence of this September night. She does not notice her lover's prone form on the couch in the living room, and she does not notice his ebony eyes staring coolly at her. He notices her though, and the first thing that he notices is the smell that permeates through the air and hits his sensitive nose. That sharp, metallic tang of blood he knows very well, and now he knows that Sakura knows it too. From what he could see in the relatively short time she stood in the middle of their apartment is that her pale grey vest is splattered with blood and the occasional fragments of some poor bastard's organs. There is indeed a great amount of crimson that decorates the usually neutral uniform. He arches an eyebrow warily but does nothing else.

He looks at her eyes that don't notice him and sees…well… nothing. He sees nothing in her normally sparkling jade eyes that are usually prone to so many degrees of emotion. Her pale, roseate hair is paled even more by the harsh scarlet that threatens to overcome her petite form. Sasuke stays where he is on the couch and idly closes his eyes. Eventually, his ears perk to the creaking of pipes that indicate the usage of the shower. He stays where he is for a long time. After a while Sakura comes out of the shower and ghosts into the bedroom that she shares with Sasuke. Said man is still in the living room, willing himself to go into the bedroom and be a pillar of comfort and strength. Despite his mental battle, he finds that he cannot do it. He finds it strange when there is a funny feeling deep in his chest. A strange tightening that makes his eyes burn a little. His vision distorts slightly and he's not sure if it's the impending blindness from using the Sharingan, or something else. He likes to indulge that it might be the former, because despite how god-awful the blindness may be, it'll be a hell of a lot easier than showing emotion for someone for once in his life.

Eventually, though, he finally gets up and drags his lithe form until he's at the doorway. He nudges the door ajar and sees Sakura curled up in a fetal position, facing him, although right now her eyes are shut painfully tight. He sees that she's trembling and whimpering softly, but not crying. Her slender fingers are white from clutching the sheets. Sasuke looks at her and concludes that he has never quite seen a look of so much agony, and it scares him. Deciding that getting up was a waste of time; he turns and silently leaves their apartment.

* * *

The next morning brings about no change, other than the fact that Sakura is alone at the dinner table. She does not know when Sasuke left, and is too tired to go out and try to find him. He returns around noon and archly informs Sakura that he's leaving. She quirks an eyebrow but doesn't say anything. He falters for a second before diving into no-mans' land. She doesn't cut it for him anymore and he deserves someone better and the sex really wasn't worth shit because she sucked and he wants more than she can give him. It takes her a while but eventually she comes upon the realization that he's dumping her and that she should be devastated. Expecting an outburst Sasuke braces himself, and waits. And waits. Needless to say he's less than shocked when she nods understandingly and oh so politely tells him to take his stuff and go. He has to remember to keep his jaws shut and his eyes cold, but it's so fucking hard seeing as he got virtually no reaction from her.

He'll never know just how much he hurt her, because they never speak much again, but it's what he knows is best for Sakura. He has always known that Naruto had loved her since they were kids and it bothered him until now, because now it's okay to let her go to Naruto. The night he left he went to his teammate's house and practically ordered him to take care of Sakura, and to love her unconditionally, because he sure as hell knew he couldn't. A part of him feels guilty that he's leaving her like he did all those years ago when he was nothing but a child, but the other part knows that he cannot be strong enough to love someone. He's still too full of vengeance and hatred, and within that chaos there can't be room for love. And so, in the distance he quietly watches Sakura fall in love again, and this time, he knows she has found someone who will love her eternally.

* * *

**A/N**: Okay upon writing the first two paragraphs I had Dr. Cox's (Scrubs) voice stuck in my head-the sarcastic voice that makes my story humorous- so the story probably sucks now. Shit. Okay well nothing really to say about this, just no flames. Written in a very short time slot, so no time to proof read well. Sorry. 


End file.
